Recently, the WNBA family received a bit of sad news when it was announced that Ginger Ackerley, who founded the Seattle Storm and once owned the Seattle Supersonics with her husband, had passed away due to ovarian cancer. She was 79 years old.
In addition to being involved with professional Seattle basketball, the Ackereleys were also community leaders and were mainstays within Seattle social circles.
She was smart and civic-minded – always willing to give her time, focus, and insight to issues that would make Seattle a special and successful place and a role model for other cities.
–Kim, Chris, and Ted Ackerley per a statement.
Most of all, she was a wonderful partner to our father, a terrific mother and grandmother, and a friend to many. She did everything with grace and elegance.
Among the philanthropic efforts of the Ackerleys included an initiative called Ackerley Corporate Giving, where they donated six percent of their annual gross revenue to community initiatives.
They also established the Ginger and Barry Ackerley Foundation which centered on childhood education opportunities throughout Washington state. Those giving back initiatives also earned Ackerley the Paul G. Allen Award from the Seattle Sports Commission.
By: Akiem Bailum (@AkiemBailum on Twitter, Instagram)
